Howard Kurtz leaves CNN for Fox

In a big shakeup in the world of media and television, reporter and critic Howard Kurtz is leaving CNN and joining Fox News, the network announced on Thursday.

Kurtz, who hosted CNN’s Reliable Sources, will anchor a weekend media program for Fox News and write a weekly column for FoxNews.com, Fox News executive vice president of news Michael Clemente said in a press release. Kurtz starts his new gig at Fox News on July 1.

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The surprise move marks the start of the next phase in the career of one of Washington’s long-running and best-known media reporters, a journalist who was once well regarded but whose star has dimmed as the errors have piled up. Kurtz’s run has been plagued at times by a handful of whopping mistakes, including most recently inaccurately claiming that an NBA player who came out as gay had failed to reveal he had once been engaged.

While Kurtz has dinged Fox News from time to time for its coverage, including recently on the attack in Benghazi, Libya, he was never part of the pack of Fox haters, and he has maintained an open line of communication with network boss Roger Ailes over the years.

Kurtz will anchor a version of the media show that is now called “Fox News Watch,” Clemente said, which will get a new format during the weekends.

“Additionally, he will serve as an on-air analyst for a variety of programs throughout the week, while also writing a regular column on FoxNews.com, commenting on social media news, industry trends and breakthroughs, in addition to looking at how media are used in politics,” the press release stated. “Meanwhile, Jon Scott, current anchor of Fox News Watch, who won an Emmy for his writing at NBC’s Dateline, will move to the specials unit where he will serve as anchor.”

Kurtz said he is “excited” to bring his “independent brand of media criticism to Fox News.”

“I want to thank CNN for giving me such a prime opportunity over the years and was tempted to continue, but the chance to create a revamped program and establish a strong online presence was too good to pass up,” Kurtz said in a statement. “I hope to add a new dimension to Fox’s coverage and have some fun while diving into the passionate debates about the press and politics.”

Clemente praised Kurtz in the announcement as “the most accomplished media reporter in the country.”

“He’s also a master of social media trends, information good and bad, and a veteran political reporter,” he said. “Altogether, he will add even greater depth to a very accomplished team of reporters and anchors.”

And Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren —who calls Kurtz a friend, but was also the subject of one of his most recent major errors — said the hire was a “big loss for CNN, huge gain for us at Fox News.”

“I have known Howie for 20+ years (we worked together at CNN) and what is Howie’s best quality is that you can have a knock down drag out disagreement with him about cable news (or even about me!) — and he is always willing to listen and to rethink it,” she told POLITICO in an email. “Sometimes he is right, sometimes I am …but in the end we remain friends and I respect him and welcome him.”

Kurtz started hosting Reliable Sources on CNN in 1998. CNN said the program will continue and feature different people guest hosting the show in the coming months. Kurtz will host Reliable Sources for the next two Sundays.